The Secret
by Sophie C.M
Summary: Previously "Toph's Secret" -Ten years after Ozai's defeat, cute but suspenseful Kataang series- The Gaang is reunited after several months of being apart. Things are going smoothly until Katara discovers something shockingly unexpected and she and Toph decide to keep it a secret from the others. All of a sudden, things begin to change for the worst.
1. Toph's Secret

Toph's Secret

Chapter 1

By: Sophie LeBlanc

Monday, April 5, 2010

Dedicated to anyone with an imagination.

- ten years later –

Sitting in Appa's saddle, the wind gently caressed Katara's copper coloured skin, blowing freely along her matured body. The navy blue tunic-dress that layered her slender frame rippled lightly in the cool breeze. She rested peacefully with her eyes relaxingly closed, absorbing the beams of light the sun cast down upon her grown face as she and Aang enjoyed a comfortable silence.

Alike Katara, Aang had matured. He was taller, now standing nearly a head higher than his wife, and had especially broadened throughout his shoulders and torso. He was slim and rather angular throughout his figure. In his face, any semblance of his youth had been outgrown throughout the past years. Although in his eyes there resided an immortal twinkle that withheld a segment of his spontaneous character, despite his physical maturity.

Aang was sitting on Appa's head, steering. The sun beat down upon his shaven head and casted a bright shine against his blue arrow.

Aang sighed easily, and deeply breathed in the pure summer's air.

"We're almost there Katara," he said happily, "Just a few more minutes." Over the years Aang's voice had developed a deeper tone.

"That's great! I'm so excited to see everyone again," Katara replied eagerly, opening her eyes and looking upon the earthy ground. From her position, she could see their nearing the Great Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se.

Katara sat up and crawled her way toward Aang, being careful to keep a steady balance when edging over the rim of Appa's saddle. She curled herself beside his body, leaning her head against his shoulder, and sighed contently.

Aang looked down at her long dark hair which streamed over his shoulder like delicate threads of ribbon. He smiled to himself, taking a minute to appreciate the beautiful person that was bundled beside him. He welcomed her easy closeness and the warmth of her touch.

A few minutes passed and Appa landed in a familiar courtyard made of stone. Exhausted from the day's travel, he flopped his belly against the ground and let out a fatigued groan.

"It's okay Appa buddy, we're here now so you can rest all you want," Aang reassured.

The large square was surrounded with many trimmed hedges and bushes. There was a spatial house that encased three sides of the courtyard entirely, leaving only the south end of the square empty where a stone pathway led elsewhere. The house was made from red brick and was very grand with many flower beds and patio decks bordering it.

Before either Aang or Katara could slide off Appa, a dark haired woman came leaping out of the house. The woman was smaller in size and clothed in a green and white dress. Her black hair hung just past her shoulders and was styled to either side of her face, exposing her beauty. Her bright smile stretched far across either of her cheeks, thickly expressing her eagerness. Everything but the woman's eyes revealed her enthusiastic excitement, as they were hidden behind a dense shield of white shadow.

"Toph!" Aang and Katara called brightly.

"Hey, Aang. Hey, Katara!" The woman greeted, "Hey, Appa."

Aang and Katara slid off the Sky Bison.

"It's so good to see you again!" Katara smiled, embracing Toph in a warm hug.

"No kidding – I've been missing you guys like crazy. How long has it been now—six months?"

"It feels like longer." Aang said, giving her a close hug..

"Where's Sokka? He's home right?" Katara asked, looking past Toph; towards the house.

"He's coming – he's just at the door now," Toph stated. Both Aang and Katara peered expectantly at the house and sure enough the door quickly slid open and Sokka step through.

He was tall and sturdy, having broadened in his shoulders and chest. His dark hair hung past his ears, ending just above his shoulders. Alike this younger years, it was pulled back into a warrior's wolf tail, though on the left side of his head he now additionally fashioned a thin braid with two water tribe beads strung into the pattern. His posture was slightly more erect, and as he walked toward his family there was a certain natural confidence in his stride.

For a moment, Katara saw her father.

"There's my Generall!" she said, lunging herself at her older brother.

"Admiral," Sokka corrected with a laugh, embracing his sister. His voice also, had grown a prominent base.

The siblings held each other fondly. Over the months apart it felt unimaginably wonderful to be in each other's presence once again, and even more so to be embraced in their arms.

After Sokka and Katara had finished their warm reconnection, Aang and Sokka greeted each other with a sturdy nod, however, their smiles said much more despite their manly concealment. While Sokka and Aang exchanged summaries of their living, Katara stood beside Toph, whipping blissful tears from her eyes.

Feeling the vibrations through her feet, Toph was aware of Katara's proximity. However, as she absorbed her sister's pulsating energy Toph encountered a peculiar unbalance; from deep within Katara's body and all the pulsations it emit, there was an additional source of vibration.

Confused, Toph concentrated carefully on Katara's beating body. The added vibration source was exceedingly small, nearly unnoticeable, and was rather fast in pace. Focused, Toph could feel what seemed to be a tiny heart beat set between Katara's hips.

_Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump..._

Toph gasped imperceptibly. She focused harder, concentrating all of her energy on verifying what she had just discovered.

_Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump..._

Toph was beyond words—which was slightly beneficial because it assisted her in silently containing her joy. Unbelievably high spirited, Toph impulsively had the desire to reach over and give Katara a giant congratulatory embrace, but she fought the urge—Toph wasn't positive that Katara even knew of her future motherhood, as the speck of life growing inside her body seemed too small to be detectable yet.

Toph's thoughts were suddenly centered on Aang, who was still listening to Sokka.

_At a be, Twinkle-Toes, at a be, _she thought to herself. Swallowing her voice, she further concealed her astonishment by subtly smiling to herself, and quickly resurfaced her attention to the people before her.

"—and I'm really liking the whole 'Admiral' thing now," Sokka was saying, "even though I can't Bend, the Earth Kingdom army is really working for me."

Completely disregarding the conversation Aang and Sokka were engaged in, Toph affectionately reached her arm out and punched Aang in the shoulder.

"Ouch! Toph, what was that for?" Aang cringed while rubbing his arm, noting an increase in Tophs' strength.

"Oh, nothing..." Toph hedged. "It's just good to see you again."

"Why don't we all go inside?" Katara offered, "We can sit down and finish talking, then maybe we can all go out for tea later?"

"Yeah, we can go to the Jasmine Dragon—Iroh will be happy to see you guys again, Aang and Katara." Toph added brightly.

"I agree, let's go inside – I'm hungry." Sokka said, patting his stomach.

Toph cocked an eyebrow. "But you just ate."

"Your point?"

Katara giggled. "...Always thinking with his stomach."

Ignoring his sister's comment, Sokka slide his arm around Toph and they made their way back into their house, Aang and Katara following closely behind.

"Wait a second!" Sokka suddenly said, stopping his tracks and turning around to cock a questioning eyebrow at Aang. "Where's Momo?"

"He's back home with Zuko," Aang said, then jokingly added. "Momo's too busy ruling the Fire Nation to come visit you Sokka."

Both Toph and Katara chuckled slightly.

Sokka jutted out his bottom lip. "Ha, ha very funny."

Happy to be in each other's long missed company, the growing family continued their way into the house, cheerful and content to be with one another once again.

_I do not own Avatar; Last Airbender, but I do, however, own this story. _

_© Sophie LeBlanc_

© Sophie LeBlanc 2010


	2. Something about the Moon

Something about the Moon

By: Sophie LeBlanc

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Dedicated to everyone who has commented on my work so far – without your reviews and feedback I would never have developed _"Toph's Secret"_ into anything more than what it originally was. Thank you for giving me something to keep writing.

The night was cool, carrying only a faint breeze that blew freely through the sleeping city. Its' fluctuated dance brushed through the trees and hedges, tickling the leaves on their branches and whispering against their thin membrane. The grass swayed calmly in the gentle wind, filling the nights' silence with a natural melody and placing a relaxing vibe into the atmosphere. In the sky, the moon was at its' fullest, and cast a brilliant shine down upon the resting land. It soaked the streets and buildings in its' pale glow, brightening even the darkest places. Encircling the moon, the stars glittered brightly, consuming the sky in their patterns and beauty.

Under the moon, a woman stood awake. She leaned restfully upon the wooden rail of a balcony overlooking a courtyard made of stone. Her delicate face was peaceful and tranquil, but with only a hint of tension residing in her eyes. She stared deeply at the moon's white face. Its' pallid cast gave her copper skin an unnatural paleness, and weaved through her dark flowing hair, brightening each individual strand.

As a waterbender, the woman grew a sensitivity to the energy around her standing beneath the full moon. Drawing its' strength and power, she sensed an ultimate control over all water surrounding where she stood. With her mind, she could feel what water molecules lived invisibly throughout the air, and could feel a radiating energy from the plant life bellow.

She breathed deeply, absorbing the energy the moon bestowed to her. Even in her own body, the woman could feel a _push_ and _pull_ of the water that composed her frame, and the way her blood flowed through her skin and veins. However, as the woman stood peacefully under the sky she noticed something peculiar about the way her body felt. As she felt the energy within herself spiral and move she discovered a sort of difference in its flow - as if there were some degree of a change. Feeling her blood pump around her body, the woman sensed something distinctively odd, though she hadn't the slightest clue as to what it was. She wondered if this was not a good observation and that she should be concerned, but she had a distinct feeling that this change was not a negative thing – though not a positive thing either – just different.

The woman continued to gaze out into the night sky as she fumbled over this concerning discovery. The more she contemplated, the more confused she became.

"Katara?"

Disrupted from her quiet reverie, the woman turned around. Behind her, a man stepped out to accompany her, leaving the balcony door open behind him. He was handsome as he stepped under the moon light. His defined features were illuminated under the sky, brightening his white skin and lightening the arrow he fashioned across his forehead into a skylight blue.

"I'd thought you'd be asleep." Aang said, leaning against the balcony edge beside her.

"No, I wasn't tired," Katara replied quietly as she returned her eyes to the sky's endless depth. "I just needed some fresh air."

Aang, raised his eyebrows in concern. "Are you okay? You didn't seem very well when you left the table."

"Yeah – I'm fine..." She hesitated, "I'm just feeling a little...different right now."

"What do you mean?" Aang asked tensely.

Katara deeply breathed in the fresh summer's air, and exhaled in a sigh.

"I'm just feeling a little strange." She turned her head to look at him. There still dwelled a tinge of tension in her eyes from the perplexity that engulfed her mind. As Aang gazed into her sparkling blue eyes he came to notice this strain. He moved closer to her body, until their sides were touching, and slid a comforting arm around her waist.

"What do you mean by 'strange'?" He inquired softly.

"I'm not sure – but I can feel it in my blood; there's something different," Katara repeated.

"You're blood?" Aang repeated, alarmed. "I dunno, Katara, that doesn't sound very good. Are you sure you're okay?"

"No, Aang! I don't know!" Katara snapped suddenly, turning to look him in the eyes. "That's what I'm trying to say! I don't know how I feel right now. Just that there's some sort of change somewhere and I can't figure it out."

Aang took a step back, taking his arm from her hips and raising his palms forward in submission, "Okay, okay – I'm sorry."

Hearing the sharpness of her words Katara bit her lip. "I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry Aang, I'm just feeling a little weird right now."

"Well, maybe you're getting sick," he offered.

"No," Katara assured. "I have a feeling this isn't a bad thing."

Standing on the balcony staring peacefully out into the deep night sky, Aang and Katara enjoyed a restful silence. As the hour grew longer the night grew colder, giving the wind a sharper coolness as it brushed against their skin, sending chills down their spines. The breeze calmly blew through Katara's brown hair, lifting some strands around her face and sending them into a sort of dance. As the moon's light illuminated her locks of dark brown, her hair appear more like smooth, soft silk. Aang looked over at her peaceful face and gently caught a loose strand of her hair in his hand. He pulled it behind her ear and moved himself against her side once again. Placing his hands on either of her hips, he turned her to face him.

Katara looked up at her husbands' face and smiled. She momentarily lost herself in his charm and the deep grey abyss that was his eyes. She noticed the twinkle the moon brought to them and how they sparkled down at her, like her own personal pair of stars. She wrapped her hands around his sides, feeling his hard distinct muscles, and leaned forward, resting her head against his broad chest. Aang softly dropped his chin upon her head and sighed contently.

"Katara, I love you," he stated. "I just want you to be okay. If you say you're fine then I can respect that, but if anything goes wrong, you have to tell me. Okay?"

"Yeah, Aang, don't worry."

Aang pulled Katara's head gently back, leaned down, and earnestly pressed his lips to hers. The touch of her soft skin sent a warm sensation through his body. He held her warm and tender body in his arms, cradling her beauty. In his embrace he could feel the warmness that pulsated through her body, and the love that radiated from her lips.

"I love you." Katara whispered against his mouth.

Aang smiled and pulled back, so as to see her full face. "We should go inside. It's getting cold."

Aang and Katara turned around and walked into the house. Feeling now especially attuned to the energy she exerted to move, Katara could better feel her body with every step she took, rather then when she stood unmoving. As her blood moved throughout her flesh she could greater sense a disparity in its workings, though it was still too faint and unrecognizable to be understood. Though, as she entered the room and stepped out from the moon's direct light she felt a decrease in strength and could no longer feel anything out of ordinary.

Through the balcony door was their bedroom. The room was very grand, painted in a peach colour with dark bamboo baseboards. They furniture was made from beautiful polished wood, and suited the painted walls well. Katara and Aang felt very comfortable living in the room, and enjoyed the amount of space it offered.

"You know what?" Aang said, as he undressed into a pair of night pants. "Maybe you're just homesick. That would be understandable – we've been here for about two weeks now, it's been a while since we've been home."

"No, Aang, I'm not home sick," Katara reassured, starting to undress.

Putting his day clothes on the night table, Aang hopped into bed wearing only a pair of tan pants. He lay down comfortably with his hands placed behind his neck so as to prop up his head. "It's okay to be homesick you know. Come to think of it, I'm kind of homesick – I miss Momo."

Katara chuckled, "Yeah, I miss him too."

As Katara undressed into her nightwear Aang stared admiringly at her copper coloured body. His eyes skimmed down her slender frame, soaking in the beauty it held to him. He awed at her exquisiteness and the beautiful person she was. His eyes streamed down her neck and the arch of her back. He followed her flawless curves, and smiled pleasurably as he trailed along her bending sides and round hips. Although, as he listened to Katara's singing body, he suddenly couldn't recall a time when she look so...curved.

"Katara, you've gained weight." Aang blurted out impulsively as she slipped her night clothes on.

In a split second Aang hurled himself to the side, swiftly dodging the crack of Katara's water-whip. On the dresser, a crystal vase and its' assortment of flowers fell waterless to the ground.

Katara threw Aang a look like pointed knives.

"Don't tell me that!" She cried.

"Sorry. I just thought you'd—"

"I don't need to know that, Aang. Don't tell me I've gained weight!" She interrupted heatedly, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

"Okay, I'm sorry. Just calm down – you're still as beautiful as you have ever been." Aang said soothingly, trying to lower her impulsive and fiery temper. But against his effort, Katara grew more angered; "Don't tell me to calm down! I'm perfectly calm!" she shrieked.

A deafening pause layered over the still room, where Aang realized Katara's untamed temper and lack of rationality. He decided it would be best if he gave her some time to unwind and regain a level of steadiness. He got up from the bed and made his way to the door. Turned around and giving his eyes to Katara, he found her leaning against the dresser with her face towards the ground.

"I'm going downstairs for a second. Do you want anything?" he questioned softly.

"No – I... I don't know what I want. I'm just feeling really confused right now, Aang." Katara answered, a certain stress thinly layered her voice. She lifted her head and looked at Aang from where he stood across the bedroom. As her eyes met with his, the two quickly shared a connected moment. Aang read the expression Katara's sparkling eyes gave, momentarily seeing the physical confusion and questions she presented. He gave her a small smile, reassuring her with a warm expression, and averted his eyes before leaving the room.

Downstairs, Toph and Sokka were still seated at the table, having a cup of tea. The dinner dishes were cluttered in a pile on the corner of the table, leaving only a portion of the table clear where its' polished top was visible.

"I thought you went up for the night," Toph said the moment Aang took a step into the kitchen.

"I did," he informed. "I'm just giving Katara some space– she's having a bit of an episode or something."

"Is she okay?" Sokka asked, putting his cup down and giving Aang a worried look.

Aang took a seat opposite them, putting his elbows on the table and resting his head in his hands. Against his bare chest, the table edge was cold.

He sighed.

"Yeah – at least, I think so," he said, but re-thought quickly, "I'm not sure, actually. It doesn't sound like she knows either. She's just really confused about something, and saying she feels 'different'."

"I'm sure she's fine," Toph stated coolly, throwing the worries over her shoulder.

"Maybe she's getting a cold," Sokka suggested, taking a mouthful of tea.

"She said she didn't feel like she was getting sick or that anything was wrong."

"Maybe the full moon is getting to her," Toph offered kiddingly.

"You don't seem very concerned," Aang recognized, stating the fact aloud.

Unprepared for his comment, Toph imperceptibly bit her cheek. "I am concerned. I just think if there was anything wrong she would be able to tell."

"Yeah, come to think of it," Sokka added, "I think Katara would know if there was something wrong with her. She's probably just having one of those girly mood swings."

"Yeah, maybe you're right." Aang considered.

"What's she doing now?" Toph asked.

"Hopefully cooling off – she's really sensitive, anything is setting her off easily."

"Yeah...it's definitely the girly mood swings." Sokka sighed, getting up and placing his empty tea cup on the side counter beside yet another pile of unclean dishes.

"Should we bring her something? Is there anything she wants?"

"I dunno," Aang answered. "She says she doesn't know what she wants."

"—Pfft, women." Sokka interjected, shaking his head from where he stood across the room.

"She's just sounding really confused," Aang sighed. "I'm sure she'll feel better in the morning."

Upstairs, Katara stood naked before the full body mirror in the bedroom. She breathed deeply; clearing her chi and exercising a state of Zen to calm her mind. Exhaling through her nose, she gazed at her unclothed body and ran her hands along her sides and hips, feeling a slight expansion in their bend and curve. She sighed, realizing Aang was right – she _had_ gained a portion of weight. Katara was utterly confused – she hadn't been eating excessively at all lately, nor changing her daily conduct in an inactive way, she wasn't depressed or ill... The more she reflected, the deeper she came to realize that there was nothing to justify her weight gain.

She rubbed her hands along her stomach, staring intensely into her own blue eyes. She pondered deeply, reflecting over everything that consumed her mind; her behaviour and unexplainable mood changes, her anger, her weight gain, the unusualness she felt within her body. As she rolled her hands along her stomach she was suddenly knocked off concentration. Questioningly, Katara could physically feel an abnormally strong rhythmic pattern in her bloodstream as she pushed her hands against the lower abdomen. She rested her palms on her belly, noting that there was an unnatural hardness under her flesh. Closing her eyes, Katara focused her attention on the slight surging sensation she could particularly feel around her stomach. She sensed its' push and pull, physically feeling the vibrations pulsating into the palms of her hands and up into her arms. There was a different strength to the way her blood flowed, as if it were moving with more potency and force, stronger, as if it were supplying a strong energy to something in her stomach – between her hips...

Suddenly she gasped, realizing the answer to all of her questions.

_**I have absolutely no rights to Avatar; Last Airbdender, but I do, however, own this story. **_

_**© Sophie LeBlanc**_

© Sophie LeBlanc 2010


	3. A New Life

A New Life

Chapter 3

By: Sophie LeBlanc

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Dedicated to patience and willpower – without both I would have deleted this story a thousand times over again in frustration.

The rising sun beamed brightly through the open windows of Aang and Kataras' bedroom, soaking the walls and in a rich golden hue. The sky held a relaxing ocean colour that blanketed over the town of Ba Sing Se. There were only a few clouds in the sky that hovered around the elevating sun, filtering a degree of its' blinding brightness. Outside, the only thing audible were the birds that happily chirped their morning melodies, and the wisp of grass as it blew gently in the morning breeze. There was no sound of city life from where Toph and Sokka lived.

Katara's eyes suddenly shot open. She sprang upwards; sharply snapping into consciousness. Staring forward, a feeling of sickness greeted her morning. Experiencing a slight burn in her cheeks and a deep queasiness in her stomach, she suddenly doubled over and vomited.

Breathing heavily, she flopped herself back against her bed. As her head hit the soft pillow she moaned at the nausea that bubbled threateningly in her stomach. Wrinkling her nose from the foul smell that whiffed under her nose, Katara raised her arms weakly and bended the pile of stomach acid out the balcony door and onto the earth below, clearing the floor of her sickness.

Beside her, Aang slept peacefully, undisturbed by Katara's morning outburst.

Unable to fall back asleep, Katara carefully eased herself out of bed. Her stomach did not disagree as she rose to her feet. Feeling slightly better all ready, she left the sunlit room quietly, sliding the door closed. The hour was early, so as Katara sluggishly entered the living area downstairs she found herself alone. With nothing to do she quickly decided to occupy her time by cleaning the dinner dishes from the previous night. From the water pipe outside the kitchen window, Katara bended enough water to fill the granite sink. She grabbed a fresh bar of soap and began cleaning each individual piece of dirty tableware by hand. The morning breeze blew freely through the open window, killing the queasiness in Katara's stomach as she breathed in its freshness.

Although Katara's hands were occupied, her mind was not. Her thoughts soon began to stagger in another direction, slowly drifting off to a different section of her mind. Flooding into her head, the previous night flashed behind her eyes.

_Pregnant? _Katara thought to herself, _I'm pregnant? _The possibility seemed to answer all her questions. She figured her mood swings and impulsive behaviour could have been due to hormonal unbalances, and the difference and changes she felt within her body must have been because of the new life she incubated. Naturally, her body would have to change and modify its usual workings to support the growing baby within her. She considered these ideas, realizing how perfectly they answered her situation.

She couldn't deny – she was with child.

But what did that mean, being pregnant?

A smile slowly ignited across Katara's face as she realized it meant she was going to have her own little baby. Throughout her youth she always adored babies and children, awing at their cuteness and their playful liveliness. But now that she was due to have her very own, Katara's perspective and appreciation for them greatly changed.

It was not simply any child that she bore within her womb; it was her and Aang's child. Inside of her, she grew and protected a precious life composed and created from both their souls. Together, sparked within her body, she and Aang had given life to a single living being, a single existence that could breathe and live for its own. She looked down at her stomach and forced her eyes past her skin, picturing their baby resting peacefully between her hips.

A single tear of joy fell silently down Katara's face. How precious it was that she held a life partly made from her own, and that someday she would forever have her heart beating outside her body.

However, upon the thought of bearing Aang's child, Katara saw there was more to understand than that single aspect. Aang was the Avatar and the last known airbender to their world; by carrying his baby, she bore not only a new life of her own, but a new life of this world – a child that would begin the rebuilding of their worlds' lost nation – a child whose destiny was to restore the Air Nomads, and recreate the fourth kingdom of their world.

Katara's smile dimmed slightly as she began to realize the gravity of her position, and what she carried. She instinctively placed a hand against her belly—despite that it was wet with dish water—and felt her eyes widened with a new realization and understanding.

She carried a new hope...a new beginning for a part of their world...

"You're up early," came a voice from behind her.

The dinner plate clutched in Katara's other hand suddenly slipped from her grip as she gasped in surprise. It fell to the floor and broke into a number of pieces. Spinning around, she found Toph casually leaning against the kitchen wall. Toph could feel Katara's stringing tension and racing heart vibrating through the floor. Putting together her jumpiness and strain, Toph knowingly put forth a good guess as to what clouded Katara's mind.

"Why so jumpy?" Toph inclined smugly.

"You scared me," Katara answered breathlessly. "I didn't hear you come in."

"Was there anything on your mind?"

Katara's breath stopped in her throat. "No," she denied.

Feeling her lie, Toph stood silently for a moment. _She's figured it out, _she thought to herself, lifting the corner of her lip in a smirk. Despite that Toph was blinded in sight, she could still see the evident denial in Katara's behaviour. She considered Katara's situation, and how tense she appeared standing before her, and decided against pursing the conversation. Instead, Toph figured it would be good for Katara to get some fresh air and a chance to clear her mind.

She shrugged, "Alright then. Common, let's go outside."

"What about this plate?" Katara said, motioning to the broken pieces on the floor.

"Common," Toph urged, already half way out the door.

After standing in a second of deliberation, Katara left the broken plate and joined Toph outside the front doors. In the beautiful blue sky, the sun's blinding shine assaulted her eyes; forcing her to squint tightly. Its radiating warmth beat against her skin in rays of golden light, relaxing her tense muscles and lifting her thoughtful mind. There still lived a peaceful breeze in the air which whooshed in gentle gusts, brushing delicately through Toph and Katara's hair. Against their skin, it offered a refreshing touch from the sun's heat.

"It's a nice day." Toph smiled, breathing in the fresh air.

Katara agreed.

Standing by the front doors, the grand courtyard lay before their eyes. Walking across its grey stones, Toph moved towards the side of the square, where the stones extended in a pathway that led to a small passage through the house. To their left, a stone drive led miles away though strips of bare land towards the city. Thin flower beds, filled with assortments of colourful flowers, lay decoratively along the pathway sides. Their petals trembled lightly in the cool breeze. As Toph and Katara sauntered through the houses' boxed tunnel they entered a quiet, serene area, filled with soft green grass and quiet equanimity. The yard extended largely, and was bordered with thick hedges. The area was bare but for only a small pond in the middle of the enclosure where a single cherry tree grew along its edges, leaning over the pools' dark water in an interesting curve. The wind blew through the trees branches, brushing off its loose flower petals. They fluttered down to the water, sending quiet ripples through its stillness.

"Wow," Katara awed, taking in the area's exquisite tranquillity. During her many visits, Katara had never been introduced to this place. "It's like a mini oasis."

"I like to come here sometimes to relax," Toph said. The warm grass was soft and gentle against her bare feet. "...and just lie here in the sun."

"It's so nice and quiet – you can't even hear the city." Katara noted aloud.

"I know," Toph agreed. "I don't mind living here at all. Out here,"—she gestured to the space around her—"it's almost as if we don't live in the worlds' biggest Earth Kingdom city."

Katara walked up to the still water and gazed down at her reflection in the small pond. As she peered down at herself however, she didn't see her normal appearance; instead her reflection projected an image of herself with a grown, rounded belly. Katara remained calm and serene, as she was not jostled by the sight of her altered image. She gazed deeply at her reflected picture, absorbing her future shape, when suddenly a cherry blossom delicately fluttered down from the small tree. It landed amid Katara's reflection and sent tiny ripples through her image, quickly blurring her morphed illustration until the water resumed its original stillness and her reflection regained her present figure.

Katara turned her head to the side and blankly stared to the ground. Seeing the image of her pregnant belly had given her a sense of awareness – one day her belly would jut out as large as the reflection had portrayed. She knew she could not deny her pregnancy – she _was_ to give birth to the last airbender's child, despite what pressure that lay upon her...she had to accept it.

Though unexpectedly, a new thought occurred to Katara – a thought that sent her heart into a panicked: what if her baby wasn't an airbender – what if their child could not rebuild Aang's people? Katara's face froze in unyielding shock as this new contemplation sunk into her mind. The entire world would anticipate the Avatar's child to be an airbender, in order to help rebuild the air nation. But what if the Avatar's baby wasn't an airbender? – the Air Nomads would seize to exist, and the Avatar Cycle would be permanently changed forever. It was the Avatar's duty to provide balance to the world, and keep a harmony among all people. If life forever existed without the Air Nomads the world would never be in proper balance, leaving Aang in shameful disgrace as the Avatar. With only three Nations, the world's existence would live under a level of instability, where life would continue to grow without a fourth relation, leaving new life and energy to be dispersed unequally throughout the world. What would the people of the world think? What would Aang think?

With an inaudible gasp, Katata rethought that: _what would Aang think?_ The consideration left her tingling with apprehension and fear. What would Aang doif his child could not extend his linage into rebuilding his lost people, and fulfil his duties as the Avatar? How would he take it? What would he say? Would he be angry? Disappointed? Broken? Even past his duties as the Avatar, Katara knew how strong Aang's love for his people was, and could see how much it would mean to him if he could build his nation back up. The possibility of Aang having to accept that his nation would forever be lost left Katara feeling scared and nervous to admit her pregnancy.

Katara thought she might collapse under the amount of pressure that weigh upon her shoulders. She was drowning, drowning under the amount of pressure that engulfed her entire being. She felt as if she were being pulled into a deep ocean of stress and anxiety. As she sunk increasingly lower into its depths the weight built against her lungs, suffocating her with its force and heaviness. From where she drowned into its deep dark void, she gasped for breath; centering her mind on brighter thoughts and filling her head with images of her giggling baby, whether it was an airbender or not. But to no avail – her mind forever held an image of her husband's broken face, after accepting that his people could remain everlastingly decease, and the world forever changed.

Fresh tears slid silently out from Katara's wide, frightened eyes. Her legs began to feel unstable and wobbly, breaking under the amount of pressure that now lay upon her. She dropped to her knees, staring down into the pond and her watery reflection.

From where she rested quietly by the pond, Toph felt Katara slump to the grassy ground. She could feel the perplex vibrations that radiated violently from Katara's body, and how her heart hammered forcefully against her chest. Toph was entirely surprised to witness the seriousness of Katara's strain, and wondered if she was okay. She assumed that Katara would have been high spirited over her pregnancy; so naturally, Toph couldn't understand why Katara's body seemed to contradict that supposition.

"Katara..." Toph crooned questioningly, unsure what to say or how to take her strange behaviour.

Sniffling, Katara raised her head, whipping her gleaming cheeks dry.

"Are you...crying?" Toph gasped in shock, hearing her quiet sniffle.

"No." Katara blubbered. Hearing an underlying pain in her voice, Toph could confirm Katara's tears were not of joy, and that she was profoundly upset. Utterly confused, Toph stood up and sat at Katara's side comfortingly.

Although she knew Toph couldn't see her, Katara looked deeply into the blind woman's shadowed eyes, her own eyes layered in an anxious tension. Gazing at her sister's face, Katara felt a sudden surge of ease and lifting relieve. She couldn't understand it, but as Toph sat reassuringly by her side, Katara's heaviness seemed to lessen. It was as if Toph reached down into the deep sea of anxiety that Katara drowned in, and was pulling her to the surface, enabling her to breathe.

Katara whipped away the quiet tears that streamed down her cheek, "I'm pregnant," she whispered suddenly.

Toph popped a smile at Katara's disclosure. _Well that wasn't totally confusing, _she thought to herself sarcastically.

"Katara," she beamed, coating on a small degree of over exaggeration. "That's wonderful!" 

Wide eyed, Katara stood in a blank wall of frozen shock, comprehending what she had just arbitrarily admitted aloud. Although Toph stood directly before her, Katara could only faintly hear the congratulatory words that erupted from her mouth. From behind her layer of jolt, everything seemed to be in a fog.

"That's so wonderful!" Toph sung, beaming as brightly as she could manage.

"Yeah," Katara chuckled, a smile playing on the corner of her lips. "...pregnant..."

Being draw from her silent reverie by Toph's bright words of encouragement and congratulations, Katara began to return to her present surroundings. Even behind their wall of shadow, Toph's eyes seemed to illuminate. Her smile touched either side of her small face, creating laugh lines that extended up to her sparking eyes. Toph's brightness and joyfulness leaked over Katara, giving her a smile of her own.

"Yeah," she chuckled happily, "I'm pregnant..."

Rising from the ground, Toph took Katara's hands in hers and began jumping up in down in delight. Though she was already aware of Katara's pregnancy, there was something remarkably wonderfully about hearing them come from her mouth - it made acting surprised less of a chore. She was undeniably overjoyed to hear Katara announce the news allowed. As she smiled and presented a strong sense of happiness, Toph could feel a remarkable change is Katara's body – as if all her pervious tension was melting away. Under no sense of over dramatisation or exaggeration, she willingly smiled and laughed blissfully with Katara, celebrating her miracle and lifting Katara from her cloud of nerves and tension.

"I'm pregnant, Toph!" Katara laughed gleefully, jumping up and down. "I'm pregnant, I'm pregnant, I'm pregnant!"

"You're pregnant!" Toph cheerfully rejoiced with her.

Katara threw her head back with merry laugher, feeling a thick cloud of joy and happiness hover around her. Toph's happiness was a beam of light through Katara's mind, clearing away all the thoughts that clouded her head. It brightened her view until she could only see what mattered most importantly – the fact that she was having a baby. Despite that the discovery was rather large and pressuring, Katara now understood it wasn't singly that she carried the last airbender's unborn child and a new hope for the world, but more that she held Aang's baby – whether it would recreate his people or not. She was going to have a child, both her and Aang combined together to form a single thread of life, and that was the most amazing, wonderful thing Katara could ever appreciate.

Together Toph and Katara expressed their happiness through delighted shouts of laughter and buoyant dances under the warm sun. Jauntily bouncing around together in merriment and shining glee, they celebrated the amazing moment of this precious new life.

_**I have absolutely no rights to Avatar; Last Airbender, but I do, however, own this story. **_

_**© Sophie LeBlanc**_

© Sophie LeBlanc 2010


	4. Murmurs and Secrets

Murmurs and Secrets

Chapter 4

By: Sophie LeBlanc

June 15, 2010

_**Dedicated to all my viewers and everyone who comments on my chapters – I want to use this dedication to thank you all for your reviews. It really makes my day and puts a smile on my face to know you are enjoying my work. It's nice to know my writing is being appreciated and noticed. I thrive off of feedback, so I absolutely love checking my e-mail and reading all the comments I receive; some of them are really inspiring. So, thank you. **_

_**I'd also just like to say this won't be the last update and that I have some more chapters in stock for everyone. It just takes me a while to write them because there's a lot of editing – I'm a perfectionist, teehee. **_

"What happened to your foot?" Aang asked Sokka, as the airbender walked into the living area, yawning away his morning fatigue.

Sokka sat at the dining table clutching his foot with a white cloth. "I stepped on a broken plate," he huffed, carefully trying to avoid staining the green sitting cushion he sat upon. "It's still in the kitchen, I didn't clean it up."

Walking into the kitchen, Aang found the broken plate and thoroughly disposed of it, making sure there weren't any remnants left on the floor for others to pierce themselves on. He walked back out to join Sokka around the square table, taking a seat on one of the green sitting cushions.

"Why aren't Katara and Toph anywhere to be found?" he asked Sokka.

"Why's there a plate on the floor?" Sokka countered gruffly, ignoring Aang's question.

"Whydid you step on it?"

Before Sokka could answer, the front doors swung open and Toph and Katara stepped through smiling ecstatically.

"G'morning guys," Toph greeted as she stepped into the house."Why are you holding your foot, Sokka?"

"I stepped on a broken plate," he exclaimed.

Toph laughed aloud, remembering the dish Katara had dropped on the floor "Oh yeah!"

Closing the door behind her, Katara stepped into the room and noticed Aang sitting around the table. Upon seeing his face, her previous thoughts poured back into her mind, weighing down her smile. It was as if the sun had drifted behind a cluster of thick grey clouds, shielding its warmth and bright glow from her. Her knees felt unsteady, as if she were going to collapse from all the thoughts and emotions that suddenly re-entered her mind.

She suddenly felt queasy, sensing a sickness in her stomach's pit.

"Katara," Aang beamed lovingly, rising to give her a morning kiss. "Good morni—"

Abruptly, Katara hurled her body to the side and violently vomited in one of Toph and Sokka's decorative vases, interrupting Aang mid speech. With his eyes layered in fresh shock, he rushed to her aid, holding back her long dark hair so as to keep it from dangling by her face. He shot a nervous glance back towards Toph and Sokka, who were blank with jolt at Katara's random explosion.

Weakly, and gasping for breath, Katara leaned back into Aang's arms. He sat her gently against the floor, holding her upright with his forearms.

"Katara," Aang said in sheer concern. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she breathed. "I'm fine."

"No you're not!" Sokka protested with wide eyes. "You just heaved in our flower pot!"

"I'm fine, Sokka," Katara snapped, wiggling from Aang's hold. She rose to her feet, feeling frail and feeble. Putting a palm against her forehead, she wished she could push back the blood that raced to her head. "I...I'm just going to go upstairs."

"I'll go with you," Aang stated, moving to wrap a steady arm around her waist as she light-headedly wobbled her way towards the stairs.

Katara spun around. "No," she said with a sharpness underlying her tone. "No...I need to be alone." Though as she said these words, her eyes drifted toward Toph – hoping she could feel her lie.

Taken aback, Aang dropped his arm limply, embracing the sharp pain across his cheek. He let Katara leave, watching her slowly move up the stairs until she was out his view. He turned around, stunned.

Sokka's face was layered in unease and worry for his sister from where he still sat lamely on the dinner cushion. He wondered if she was going to be okay, and—against her wishes—whether someone should accompany her to assure she was alright.

Suddenly, Toph strode quickly across the room, acting on Katara's hidden signal.

"She said she wanted to be alone," Aang reminded her lifelessly.

"Not now baldy," Toph beseeched, already halfway upstairs.

"Katara?" Toph said, opening the balcony door after finding the bedroom empty.

Katara stood alone on the balcony mirroring a similar night, though excluding the fact that this time her skin illuminated under the shimmering sun instead of a pallid moon. Hearing Toph's voice, she turned around, revealing a face drenched in glimmering tears of sadness and eyes that were layered in naked panic. Upon all the emotional unbalances she was experiencing, Katara's mind now felt numb and inert. All the conflicting happiness and nervousness that hazed over her conscious forced Katara into feeling as if her nerves were being frayed over the blade of a knife.

"Katara!" Toph gasped, feeling her strenuous vibrations. "What's wrong with you? What's going on?"

There was a short silence filled with an uneasy tension that wafted within the air before Katara spoke. "It's this," she blubbered, patting her stomach. "...it's what's in here."

Staggered, wondering why Katara would ever take her pregnancy so upsettingly, Toph put a calming hand on Katara's shoulder. "Katara, just relax," Toph soothed. "Breathe – you need to calm down."

"I can't, "she cried. "It's so much – I just can't do this."

Toph moved her hands to either side of Katara's arms. "Yes, you can Katara. You just need to breathe and tell me what's going on."

Katara continued to sob relentlessly.

"I can't do anything if you don't tell me what's wrong," Toph justified.

From behind a sheet of blurriness, Katara peered gravely at Toph, seeing colour in her colourless eyes. She inhaled deeply, trying to settle her screaming emotions. Coolly, she closed her eyes and pictured emptiness, letting her mind soak easily in a blank stillness. She slowly began to feel a settling vibe within her chest. It washed through her light head, releasing a soothing sensation that spread like watered ink through her body, relaxing her mind and tense muscles. Against her arms, Toph's supporting grip assisted Katara in steadying her fierce gasps into simple breathing strokes.

She lifted her teary lids, taking a steady breath, and began reiterating everything that occupied her mind.

Upon hearing Katara's conflictions, Toph was slightly bewildered – wondering why Katara was centering her focus on such thoughts.

"Katara," Toph crooned, "Why are you worrying over this? You should be so happy about being pregnant, but instead you're getting upset over whether you're baby's going to carry on Aang's inheritance, and restore his people? That's silly."

Katara's eyebrows flickered in impatience and irritation; over everything she had explained, it appeared Toph didn't fully comprehend the matter. "How would you feel, Toph, if you were bearing a child whose fate was to restore a worlds' lost nation and recreate your husbands' deceased people? How would you act if the child you brought into the world was unable to fulfil that destiny, bringing down the worlds' only hope for the recreation of its dead kingdom? Well I'm carrying that child! You don't see any pressure in that? Imagine Aang's crushed face if I deliver a child that can't help rebuild his people. Imagine the disgraceful honour that would bring him as the Avatar, and the grief that would bring him as the last airben—"

"Katara," Toph interrupted clamping a sturdy hand against her racing lips. "I do understand – trust me. But you have to realize that your baby—Aang's baby—is going to be whatever it's going to be, whether that's an airbender or a waterbender or whether it's even going to be a bender at all. Your child's destiny is not under your control, and it's not under Aang's either – it's under fates control, and there's nothing either of you can do to change that."

Katara stood silently, absorbing Toph's words.

"I really can see where you're coming from," Toph continued earnestly, "but you also have to think; when you tell Twinkle Toes that you're pregnant, do you honestly think the first thing he's going to think about is his people? Katara, he's going to be over the moon! I can't picture Aang upset over whether his child will be able to 'recreate his nation and uphold his honour as the Avatar'."

A steady silence grew over both Katara and Toph, in which Katara lost herself into reflection and self mediation.

"And besides," Toph added candidly. "Even if this kid can't airbend, the Air Nomads could still be restored; you and baldy could have more babies together, and any of them could be airbenders. It's not as if the fate of the air nation rests only on this baby, there are other possibilities."

Katara turned around and stared out into the clear blue sky. Hearing Toph speak, she had never felt so blinded. After discovering her pregnancy, Katara was so focused on Aang's reaction and the air nation, that she had never stop to consider anything rationally. _Your child's destiny is not under your control, and it's not under Aang's either – it's under fates control, and there's nothing either of you can do to change that, _Katara replayed in her mind, realizing the accurateness. There was nothing in her power to change the course of anyone's destiny. Fate was unchangeable; designed for every individual in their own particular adaptation.

_Do you honestly think the first thing he's going to think about is his people? _Katara further reflected,_ he's going to be over the moon!_ She smiled to herself, realizing how truthful this statement was. Blocked by fear and anxiety, she had never stopped to sensibly consider her husband's response. It was true; she could better anticipate Aang's elatedness after learning about his future fatherhood than a storm of apprehension and fear for his lost people.

Upon all this new awareness, Katara felt as if a massive weight had suddenly been lifted from her shoulders, or a thick dirt cloud had been sucked from her lungs, allowing her to breathe.

"You're right, Toph" she said, turning around and leaning on the balcony rail. "I was so blinded by all the negatives; I just couldn't see...you're right."

Downstairs, Aang and Sokka were still stationed around the table. They sat in silence, reflecting upon Katara's concerning moment of sickness, and whether she was doing well. Aang's hands were still wet with water after washing the flower pot Katara had contaminated. Sokka's could no longer feel the pain in his foot, as a growing numbness had overcome all other feelings in his leg. He wasn't sure if that was a positive thing or whether he ought to be concerned, but soon came to realize he didn't care either way.

Aang sat silently as a ball of nerves. With his heart frantically beating up a cycle of negative and tense energy within his body, his mind consistently replayed the image of Katara refusing his support and reassurance, watching her slump up the stairs alone. The feeling of rejection and denial seeped down to his core – how could she not want him? Of course he could respect if she needed space, but how could she disregard his company so easily if she was feeling ill? Did she not understand that he just wanted to be with her, to assure she was okay? He and Katara were two halves of a whole, always together, combined to shape as one – never before had she denied his company.

Aang ached to be with Katara – it tore him apart to be left in the dark, not knowing if she was okay. He desperately wished it were himself at Katara's side, rather than Toph, aiding her during her time of need. With his tolerance at its bare minimum, he dropped his fist sturdily against the table top.

"I'm going to go upstairs to see how Katara's doing," he informed Sokka, who was lying on his back with his hands behind his head. At Aang's voice, his head shot upward.

"Wait," he said as Aang got up to leave the room, "I'm coming too."

Sokka limply rose on one leg. As Aang swiftly sped his way up the stairs, he hopped single legged to catch up with him; jumping up each individual stair. "Aghh! Aang! Wait up!"

Once Aang arrived before the bedroom door, he eagerly—yet worriedly—slid it open and was wholly surprised to observe that Katara and Toph were not inside. He cocked his eyebrow in confusion, though, upon noiselessly entering the room, he noticed the balcony door open. Smiling, he went to join the girls under the sun but was stopped in his tracks as Katara's voice became suddenly audible.

"But I still don't feel ready," Katara's voice came from outside the open door. Aang noticed there was a level of gloom sown into the tenor of her voice – had she been crying? "I know it might not make sense after everything you've said, but I'm just not ready to tell Aang yet."

Aang's heart skipped in beat and restarted in double time, sending his limbs into a frozen immobility and gluing his legs to wood floor. _Not ready to tell Aang yet, _he reran with wide, alert eyes. There was something was wrong, something Katara didn't want him knowing – something bad that she wasn't ready to talk about.

"Tell him when you're ready. He'll understand." Toph offered understandingly. From where she stood by Katara's side, Toph could feel Aang's proximity in the room. However, she didn't act on revealing his presence – with the intentions of sparing Katara's emotional meter. Conflicted, with a mind to keep Katara at a balanced and calmed conscious, though anticipating what would happen if Aang was to overhear anything, Toph fretfully decided it would be best to keep her mouth closed.

"Yeah," Katara agreed pensively. "...I'll tell him when I'm ready."

Aang kept his heaving chest and deep breathing as muted as he could possibly manage. In his shock and utter surprise, he could not come to comprehend why Katara would keep something from him. Secrets did not exist within their loving relationship – both he and Katara were always very open with each other, which now left Aang in complete revelation and unsure how to act upon his being kept in the dark. He considered revealing himself and questioning Katara about her secret keeping, but couldn't force his trembling body through the balcony door.

"As soon as I feel less nervous..." he heard Katara decide, "and can accept his response, whatever that may be."

"—Uh?" Toph mumbled, searching frantically for the right thing to say. "Mmmm, yeah, you're right Katara. Listen, why don't we go back inside to check on the guys? They're probably getting pretty worried about you." Toph suggested, with the mind to drive Aang from the room; urging him to leave.

Aang took a couple retreating steps backward.

"Sure," Katara agreed.

His legs felt twenty pounds heavier than normal as waves of adrenaline pulsated through his shaky body. Quickly, before he was caught listening in on Toph and Katara's conversation, he picked up his heavy feet and hurriedly fled from the room, his eyes wide with disbelief.

_**I have absolutely no rights to Avatar; Last Airbender, but I do, however, own this story. **_

_**© Sophie LeBlanc**_


	5. Contemplations over Contemplations

Contemplation over Contemplations 

By: Sophie LeBlanc

July 30, 2010

Dedicated to writers block.

Sitting in the Jasmine Dragon, Aang's tea cup emitted steaming warmth against his palms. He sat quietly around a circular table with his hands over his lap. Around the table, Sokka, Toph and Katara sat as well, conversing happily amongst each other. Aang did not contribute much to their conversation, having detached himself from their steady socialization. There lay a sheet of blankness upon his still face. Staring vacantly downward, his colourless eyes appeared dull and voided. Any level of expressional presentation was hidden under his impassive visage, giving the young airbender a lifeless appearance. He sat rigidly in his chair, with his shoulders hunched around his neck and his back arched tensely. Around him, many other Be Sing Se civilians sat quietly and chatted among family and friends. The atmosphere in the tea shop held a calming serenity, which assisted Aang in maintaining his contemplative state of mind.

Aang felt as if there were a billion Mosquito-Bees frantically buzzing around in his mind. They filled his head with an undying drone, pinching and stinging the inside of his brain. He felt numb and inert under the level of deliberation and deep mental activity he forced upon himself. All he could do was think about Katara, and the issue she currently kept from him. He didn't know how to think, or how to interpret Katara's actions – all he knew was the confusion and pain they brought to him. Regardless of how he attempted to distract himself, he couldn't shake his focus off what she had said – it glued itself to the wall of his mind, refusing to leave his conscious.

_I still don't feel ready, _he replayed for the hundredth time, scrunching his eyes and trying to decipher her words, _I'm not ready to tell Aang yet._

The troubled Avatar sighed desperately; what did that _mean_? Was it bad? Was it good?

It had to be something horrible if she was going out of her way to keep it secret from him. _Maybe she's sick, _he thought to himself, _really_ _sick._ The possibility made sense – her irritable behaviour, her earlier stomach sickness, that 'change'and 'weird feeling' she felt a couple days ago... He considered this new theory, wondering if he had finally figured it out.

Aang lifted his hazed eyes and looked to where Katara sat laughing and socializing with Toph and her brother. At once, he noticed how her beaming blue eyes glittered brightly in the light, sparkling like diamonds under the shinning lanterns that hung from the ceiling. Her copper toned skin shone impeccably without any blemish or hint of paleness. Across her face, Katara's smile beamed fully, with glowing white teeth and plump faultless lips. Her voice was clear and untouched, her hair was smooth and shiny, her overall appearance was very bright and lively, and as Aang came to notice all of this he realized that Katara was, as a fact, appearing positively better than she had been all week.

He lowered his eyes again and exhaled heavily. Discovering his proposition to be wrong yet again, Aang found himself in a level of frustration. Of course, he didn't desire or wish for Katara to be sick; all he wanted was to determine what the matter was and to be let back into the life of the woman he loved so much. He felt shadowed and uncertain, standing before a mirror with only half a reflection.

In his rejection and isolation, Aang found himself experiencing a deep hollowness and emptiness, as if he were suddenly only half alive – like a flower without any petals. Katara was the other half to his whole – like the connecting piece to a puzzle. He loved Katara with everything he was. She kept his heart beating, filling it with as much love as it would hold.

She was his oxygen under water, his warmth in the cold, his light in the dark.

Katara completed him, as a portion of his inner self.

Although now, in her secrecy, Aang couldn't help but feel disconnected and sense a degree of detachment from her. He couldn't comprehend why she would want to dislodge herself from him so easily, and put what felt like a distance between them. Why would she want to keep anything from him? What was there to keep? It didn't make sense, nothing made sense.

Staring into Katara's sparkling blue orbs, Aang wondered how she could be so close... but yet so far away.

"Aang, buddy!" Sokka suddenly called from directly beside the quiet airbender. "You've been pretty quiet. What's wrong – your tea not good enough?"

Aang's head shot upwards, as Sokka's voice drilled through his reflective reverie, closing off all his thoughts in a quick second. In his jolt, the tea cup he held in his hands jostled sharply, spilling its' sweltering contents over his lap.

"AH!" Aang's gasped as the boiling heat of the leaf juice burned against his thighs. "Ah! S'hot!"

"Here – I got it!" Katara offered promptly. She quickly raised her hands and bended the watery substance from Aang's clothes, removing its' steaming warmth from against his skin. The coloured water rose easily into the air in a flowing, thick, yellowish-green thread. Gracefully, she lowered the ribbon of tea back into Aangs' cup—which he had tossed upon the table in his urgency.

Aang breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thanks, Ka—tara," he stuttered. Awkwardly, as he said her name, the young Avatar felt a sort of hesitance take over him, as if his voice had suddenly gotten stuck in his throat and he were choking over her name. He quickly hit a hard fist against his chest, clearing his throat with a gruffly grunt.

"Nice one, Twinkle-Toes." Toph congratulated from where she sat across the table. "Way to waste a cup of tea."

Aang smiled weakly in response, now rubbing his numb legs.

"That's okay, Aang," Sokka said confidently, wrapping an arm around his brother's shoulder. "Next one's on me."

Aang cocked an eyebrow. "Sokka," he said questioningly. "It's just tea."

"Iroh!" Sokka called into the kitchen.

"Sokka!" Katara hushed reproachfully. "You can't just call across the room like that!"

"Sure I can – I _am_ the Admiral."

"There're other people in here!" She urged.

From behind the tea shop's kitchen counter, Iroh suddenly popped his head into view. He carried a black tea pot and was shelled in a colourful apron with '_The Jasmine Dragon' _embroidered across the chest in a lacy, decorative font. Recognizing Sokka's familiar voice, he walked over to their table and greeted his friends warmly.

Sokka patted the blue arrow that ran across Aang's bald head. "We have a bit of a problem," he informed. "Aang spilt his tea."

The Avatar sighed. "It's _just_ tea," he pressed apathetically for a second time.

Iroh shook his head gravely. "No matter its significance, a problem should never be ignored." He offered wisely, "—especially _spilt tea_."

Turning around, the grand tea maker left to retrieve a clean tea cup for Aang.

Quiet in his seat, Aang's eyes suddenly widened in unexpected realization. Suddenly, as he began drifting off into dense reflection once again, Iroh's inspirational words echoed boldly through his mind: _No matter its significance, a problem should never be ignored_. Aang recognized that Iroh had been speaking over his obsession for tea upon giving this advice, but, nonetheless, quickly came to realize that his old friend was right – any problem, no matter its magnitude, needed to be dealt with. Any degree of problematic circumstances should never be left to impose stress or pain upon anyone's conscious. Problems and issues did not help anyone; they only left people in anxiety and worry. Without resolution, life would be chaos.

Taking in Iroh's simple wisdom, Aang came to this new understanding. He looked over at Katara and understood, now, what he needed to do – he couldn't drive himself to insanity by ignoring the problem any longer; he needed to directly speak with Katara.

Of course, Aang accepted that confronting Katara would be difficult, and much easier said than done, but he understood that if he wanted to resolve anything, he would have to walk through his hesitation and speak to her about the present situation. To dwell in endless confusion and anxiety was not healthy for any one person. Talking everything out was the only way to clear his conscious, and rid himself of his unyielding nerves. It was time that Aang took things into his own hands.

Iroh returned with a fresh cup of steaming tea.

"I hope you like it – it's Ginseng tea, my favourite," he said to Aang.

"Thanks," Aang returned, taking the fresh cup.

After handing away the tea, Iroh moved his golden eyes to Katara.

"Are you sure I can't get you anything? You haven't tried any of my teas since your arrival," he asked her, recalling the many times the family had come for tea in the past couple weeks of Katara and Aang's visit.

"No, thanks," Katara replied lifting the hand that lay across her lap and waving it in polite rejection. "Not today."

Looking into her eyes, Iroh lifted a sceptical eyebrow, but did not press the matter. His gold gaze leaked deeply through Katara, giving her an awkward sense of visibility. For an instant, she felt naked and revealed as she stared back into his eyes. Abruptly, though as nonchalantly as she could manage, she turned her head, detaching herself from the connection they fleetingly shared.

Iroh dropped his gaze and bid the group evening. He turned around and sauntered away, humming a bright melody to himself under his breath.

"So _Admiral_, tell Katara some more about your new position," Toph pressed on Sokka, laying an emphasis at his imposing ranking. "I'm sure she isn't finished hearing everything to do during the day."

Hearing her name, Katara lightly rattled her head back and forth, shaking herself from the awkward sensation she momentarily experienced and back to reality. "Yeah..." she said, joining back into the conversation. "Yeah – isn't it a little difficult for you to really _do_ anything Sokka, what with you not being able to bend and all?"

"Pfft" Sokka waved off, "I can still fight – I have the whole sword thing going on you know—and besides—" he added leaning back and crossing his arms complacently, "—the war ended eight years ago; it's not as much that there's anything to prepare for now. It's more that I just give orders and make decisions."

"If you can even do that," Toph smirked.

Katara chuckled. "Yeah, when have you ever posed as a good decision maker?"

"I make plenty of good decisions!"

"Yeah, right," Toph joked sarcastically, taking a mouthful of tea, "Or the time you brought home those Skunk-Tulips, and they sprayed all over you when you tried to pick them – that was also a very good decision."

"They were for you – I thought they were Panda-Lilies!" Sokka protested in his defense. "Common! They look almost the exact same!"

"Or that time you bought that bottle of cherrysider when you and Toph came to visit us back home, and it ended up having extracts of cactus juice in it – that was a good decision." Katara added, crossing her arms contentedly and eyeing her brother smugly.

"It looked tasty!" Sokka protested in his defence.

"I remember that," Toph exclaimed, recalling the memory. "Good times, good times."

Sokka rolled his eyes, taking a gulp of tea.

"Well," Katara continued, "despite those odd moments you've had, you _have _always been the 'idea guy', Sokka." She looked at her brother appreciatively. In the back of her mind, she took a subtle notice to Aang's quietness.

Satisfied to finally be getting some credit, Sokka smiled. "See, there you go. I have some good qualities."

"Yeah," Toph agreed with a leering smile. "You're only good quality."

Although she couldn't see him, and despite he knew she was only teasing playfully, Sokka squinted tightly at Toph in condemnation. She grinned, spreading a wide smile across her cheeks. It beamed so brightly, it seemed to lighten the black sheets of hair that hung on either side of her flawless face. Her shadowed eyes illuminated dazzlingly for Sokka, placing a grin he couldn't resist upon his grown face. He suddenly felt as if his arms and legs had turned into soft water-pipes, leaving him robbed of his strength with a giddy weakness.

"Just kidding," Toph charmed.

Drinking their tea, the family continued chatting happily amongst each other, reflecting over treasured memories and moments shared together. Aang contributed a minimal share of conversation throughout their remaining time at the tea shop that evening, though predominantly carried on isolating himself in his own quiet, reflective world. Toph, Katara, and Sokka all held an individual awareness of Aang's deep silence, but did not acknowledge his behaviour aloud. Toph was especially attentive of Aang's behaviour, as she could feel all the twisted and intense strain coiled deeply into his core, vibrating loudly against her bare soles. She wondered what was on his mind, but after a moment of brief contemplation she found that she already knew, after remembering what Aang had overheard Katara saying that very morning.

"Well, I'm going to bed." Katara said with a yawn as Aang slid the front door closed behind her.

Sokka lifted his head and cocked an eyebrow from where he lay already floppily sprawled across a couple of green floor cushions. "Why? It's so early."

"I'm tired," Katara stated simply. With yet another yawn she turned around and hunched towards the stairs. She waved a hand over her shoulder. "Night, everyone."

A heavy silence fell over everyone as she left the room. Only the buzz of the stillness could be heard, until Sokka broke the lengthy pause.

"What's with her?" he asked with a deep, fatigued yawn. "How could she sleep? The sun's not even dow—" though as he spoke, his voice was suddenly cut off by a deep rumble of snoring that had suddenly erupted from his chest. His head fell limply back against the pillow, his mouth gaping open in what was already a deep slumber.

With the night dawning on them and Katara already upstairs, Aang saw a perfect chance to put his plan into action. With the timing so impeccable, he figured the spirits were secretly aiding him in his efforts; encouraging him with this ideal opportunity.

This was it – he didn't have to worry himself anymore; he was about to get some answers.

A burst of adrenaline suddenly flashed through his veins in a wave of hotness, surging his heart forward into a jumpy, irregular rhythm. It hammered frantically against his chest, like a Platypus Bear raging against cage bars. In its pounding viciousness, harsh vibrations bounced through his frame, until he thought he could physically feel his feet bouncing off the floor. With his muscles strong with the adrenaline that pumped through his skin—though weak with the weight of his mind—Aang managed to lift a heavy foot from the ground. He took a deep breath, swallowing his nerves and edged closer to the stairway and Katara above. Though unexpectedly, as he took another courageous step forward, something bumped against his chest, forcefully blocking his path.

"Where do you think you're going, baldy?" Toph asked sceptically from where she all of a sudden stood directly in front of him, palm pressed assertively against his upper frame. Though she pressed the question, Toph already knew what Aang was generally up to. In her rootedness, she simply wanted to hear him admit to his plans and confirm her suspicions allowed.

At this abrupt interruption, Aang's breath caught short in his throat.

"Er – to bed," he coughed, his eyes wide with jolt.

"You don't think I can feel your heartbeat?" She asked rhetorically, pushing him back a step with the extension of her fingers. "Where are you really going?"

"To bed," he repeated falsely. He began to feel slightly uncomfortable with her inquiring and the way she cornered him with questions.

"I know you're lying." Toph said, feeling his untruthful vibrations.

Aang gulped inaudibly. "I'm just going up the stairs." He hedged cautiously, now avoiding the complete truth, careful not the let any total dishonestly slip last his lips.

"Why?"

"To... go to my room."

"You don't feel very tired. Are you?"

"N-no," he forced honestly.

"Then _why_ are you going to your room?" Toph pressed stubbornly, urging the truth past his teeth in her stubbornness. She stood silently, awaiting Aang's answer. All the unsteady vibrations that emitted from his trembling body shook up her legs with such energy she wondered if her own body would start shaking in their force. Toph knew that squeezing the truth from Katara wasn't in Aang's best interest. She knew that Katara needed time to gain a level confidence and readiness before speaking to Aang, and that questioning her would only bring her into a state of uncontrollable panic. Katara couldn't be forced into the revealing her pregnancy – it was something that had to be done when she was ready, and when the time was right. Toph had succeeded in assisting Katara develop an eased and calmed mentality over the pressures her childbearing brought her – she wasn't about to let Aang ruining that.

The clouded airbender stared desperately into Toph's shadowed, white eyes. Conflicted, he no longer knew what to say. Should he continue to hedge around the truth, or just come clean? He did not want Toph preventing him from carrying out his well thought-out and premeditated plans, so admitting the truth and revealing his plot to confront his wife didn't appear best, as he knew Toph was aware of Katara issue. Although, lying wasn't really an option, as he knew Toph would be able to feel any lie he attempted. He didn't know what to do – either way Aang found himself staring at a brick wall.

With a sigh, he bowed his blue arrow in defeat, accepting Toph's win.

"Fine," He said tonelessly. "You're right – I wasn't going to bed."

"Why were you_ really_ going to your room?" She repeated, urging the complete truth from him. "What's on your mind?"

"If you honestly didn't know, you wouldn't have stopped me from going upstairs." Aang countered swiftly.

Toph blinked, thrown on her heels.

"Fine," she said, taking use in the straightforwardness and candour that Aang had suddenly given their conversation. "You're right – I pretty much know what you're thinking, and I just thought I'd tell you that it's a really bad idea. I wouldn't go talking to her about it, Aang."

"How did you know?" He asked, amazing that she had guessed his very plan.

"We're earthbenders," Toph said, crossing her arms. "We're direct, and face things head on—and I'm not an idiot; I know you overheard part of our conversation this morning, and I can feel your heartbeat – I'm smart enough to put two and two together. It's no wonder you're as stressed as you are; you know what they say about eavesdroppers."

"So, what's going on then? What can't I just go talk to her about it? How about a little communication around here!"He said, his voice rising over the loudness of Sokka's groggy snoring in his temper.

"M'afraid I can't tell you that," Toph stated with a level of arrogance in her coolness.

Aang's eyebrows curved in annoyance and heated anger. "Why not? Just tell me what's going on, Toph!"

"I can't say," Toph replied firmly, putting her hands solidly on her hips in his elevating rage.

Aang lifted his hand and pointed an accusing finger at Toph's face. "You're keeping a secret Toph! Just tell me – it's not that hard! What's wrong with Katara?"

Toph stood in a level of hesitation.

"There's _nothing _wrong," she evaded, deciding to allow Aang a little sense of reassurance with what information was safe to reveal.

Aang paused.

"What do you mean?" he asked, his voice lowering back down in volume. "I heard Katara saying that she wasn't ready to telling me something... there's can't be 'nothing' wrong."

"Seriously, Aang, just never mind," Toph huffed. "Everything's fine – you'll find out soon enough."

At yet another evading response, Aang began to soak in a helpless gloom. Within himself, he could no longer grasp anymore strength to fuel his rage. He felt bare – bare of anything except a certain sadness that now spread throughout his body. By hearing that _there was nothing wrong _and _everything was fine _he now held merely pieces of the whole picture, which, in his desperation for answers, only made him ache more painfully for the complete image. The sparkle in his ashen eyes quivered mournfully under his black lashes. As he opened his mouth to speak, he felt a painful burn in the flesh of his throttle. Thick tears of pain and sadness brew rapidly behind his dense grey eyes, daring to spill over his warm cheeks as they edged along the rims of his eyes.

Although he knew Toph couldn't see him, Aang looked desperately into her eyes. He opened his mouth, feeling the ache in his throat amplify, and tremblingly spoke. "Toph, you can't possibly understand what I'm going through right now. I love Katara with every life that I've had. She means more to me than anyone will ever know. I feel so weak, and helpless. This isn't right. I can't breathe anymore because I know there's something wrong with her and everyone seems to be keeping it from me. I can't live under the stress this is putting me through. Please, I just really need to know what's going on..."

A thick fat tear rolled slowly down the side of his face, glistening in the light cast down from the ceiling candles.

The blind woman stood quietly for a moment, bewildered and lost for words.

Taking over his previous anger, she could feel a new emotional vibration course through Aang's quivering body. It held a level of mellowness to it, though carried a decipherable depth. It slowly seeped through Aang's veins, spreading weightily through his body. It seemed to weigh down his heart, bringing a spiritual heaviness to him and his soul. Toph recognized his new vibrations as a great sadness, and although she couldn't see the tears that fell down Aang's cheeks, she guessed as much from the intensity of his changed emotions.

Toph's brow lifted in profound sympathy for Aang, now realizing that she never fully understood the profoundness of the situation. Physically feeling his pain, she could see a measure of the heartache he experienced. On a level of reality, she came to realize that Aang had no honest guess as to what was going on – for all he knew Katara was falling out of their love and moving on in her life.

She cringed at what that consideration would have brought to Aang's conscious.

In the nine years that Toph had known him and all the moments they shared together, she had grown to love Aang very much. First as a teacher, but soon later as a great friend, Toph and Aang held a deep connection of their own. The two were like siblings – sharing a similar love to that of a brother and sister. Witnessing Aang in such a horrible amount of anguish pierced Toph to the depths of her essence. In his pain, she held a deep sorrow for Aang. She felt sensitively weaker, as if her rock-hard soul had suddenly melted into mud.

She stood quietly, taking in Aang's coursing tension. Every beat of him heart, and every distressed vibration that radiated from his flesh, hammered forcefully against Toph again and again, drilling the bottomless anxiety he endured farther into her conscience.

_Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump..._

Anguish, anxiety, pain...

_Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump..._

Concern, distress, fear...

Against the distraction of Sokka's endless, nasally snoring, Toph was pulled further and further down into Aang's emotions. She was drowned deeper in the utter sympathy and understanding she felt for her brother. Even though she hated to show it, it tore her rooted-self apart. She couldn't stand the pain and struggle Aang bought to himself. She had to help him – she had to tell him...

But was it right? Was it right to tell Aang?

In her love, all she wanted to do was cease Aang's crazed emotions and bring him back to a level of easiness, where there was nothing to worry about and he no longer lay crushed under the strength of his static thoughts. With just two simple words, Toph held the power to do just that, although, was it in her place to do so? It was Katara's destiny, and her responsibility to reveal the news. Toph could see the disclosure of Katara pregnancy to be a very special moment, though it was something that needed to be shared between Katara and Aang when the time was right. Katara was intended to bestow him with the incredible and miraculous sensation of fatherhood that would sweep him away into weightlessness. It would be wrong of Toph, and not in her place, to spoil that magical moment for Aang – but if that magical moment wasn't shared soon, Aang stood sure to lose what level of rationality he still withheld, and even as a blind woman, Toph could see that.

"Aang," she whispered, utterly conflicted. "I..."

Toph's lip began to tremble. Around her dank, gloomed eyes, her facial muscles were tense and coiled her anxiety. Standing frozen in uncertainly and extreme contemplation, she opened her mouth again. Playing around her tight lips where the words to lift Aang from his anxious mind.

"Er—" Toph stuttered unfathomably yet again, torn between what she knew to do, and what she wanted to do – between what was right, and what was wrong. With the room now coated in silence, she clenched her fists together. Aang's heartbeat drilled violently against her feet, reminding her time after time.

_Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump..._

Pain, fear, worry...

The pause extended over them, where nothing but Aang and Toph's heavy breathing could be heard in the deadly silence around them, painting the still room in their tension and strain. Finally, Toph lowered her head with her eyes closed in a level of collected seriousness and final decision.

"No," she stated morally, determination layering her solid voice. "This was never meant to happen; you were never meant to overhear anything. I'm sorry Aang – I'm sorry you overheard our conversation, and how much pain it's putting on you. I never anticipated how badly it would affect you... although I can now understand how it would. But, trust me when I tell you not to worry; everything's fine, better than fine – you'll be laughing at yourself for getting this worked up... so relax. She'll talk to you, just wait for it."

At that, Toph turned her shoulder without a second thought and walked up the stairs, leaving Aang alone to absorb her last words in the deafening silence of the night.

_**I have absolutely no rights to Avatar; The Last Airbender, but I do, however, own this story.**_

_**© Sophie LeBlanc **_

© Sophie LeBlanc 2010


End file.
